2:31 PM,
Jan. 23, 2013
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Written by

Pam Sherman

Pam Sherman / Brandon Vick

The other day when I asked my daughter if she was excited about the upcoming presidential inauguration, she said, “Wait, didn’t that happen in November?”

I totally understand. After slogging through the election, by the time we get to the inauguration we’re all a bit over it.

But as we approach this inauguration, I couldn’t help but think back to the excitement I felt about attending the inaugural ball back in 1993. Living in Washington, D.C., at the time, we were inundated with news about the impending inauguration of President Clinton. I thought, this was the place to be and was thrilled when we snagged tickets. I spent more money on a gown than I’d ever spent before. We even sprung for a limo.

And it was probably the worst party we’d ever been to. It was in the massive D.C. Armory with more than 1,000 of our “closest” friends. We waited forever for the Clintons to show up. When they did, they were so far away from where we were, we’d have seen more on television. We emptied our plastic drink glasses and went home in our very expensive limo, vowing never to go again.

What I learned is that the party isn’t what’s important about an inauguration. Instead, it’s all about how after the election — no matter how contentious — we put away our differences, smoothly transition our government, and watch as one person stands with hand on Bible and swears to protect and defend us all.

For any political office, that moment has meaning not only for the person intoning the words but for all of us who take the time to listen. Anthony Daniele, Majority Leader of the Monroe County Legislature, used an analogy to compare the excitement of election night with the emotion of the swearing in. “When Michael Phelps finishes the race and there’s the adrenaline of the win, that’s the election. But when he stands on the podium and that medal is put around his neck, that’s the swearing in.”

Elaine Spaull, Rochester City Councilwoman says, “I loved my oath of office because I had the opportunity to select who held the Bible and who read the oath to me.” At her last swearing in, her son read the oath and a young friend whom she has mentored held the Bible.

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“The oath is short and sweet, and the sentiment of having those you love or who are important to you participate as you pledge and promise to uphold the rule of law and to commit yourself as a public servant — well, that was inspirational to me,” Spaull says.

A few weeks ago, podiatrist Joe Carbone was sworn in as a first-time Monroe County legislator, surrounded by friends and family. He says, “I’ve been serving people my whole life as a doctor, but now I get to serve people in a whole different way.” He says it was one of the best days of his life.

Thirteen-year-old Adina Goldstein of Brighton is excited to be attending the inauguration ceremony and an inaugural ball on Monday in Washington through the People to People Student Ambassador Program. Adina is student council president at Twelve Corners Middle School, and when I asked if she wishes she’d had an inauguration for her office, she said yes. It would have made it “more real, more serious. Instead, we just started.”

At least she was spared a boring party.

In the end, when the swearing-in is finished, the poems read, the speeches given, the parades concluded, the last plastic cup thrown away, it’s all very real and all very serious. I’m reminded of the movie The Candidate, when Robert Redford says quietly over the din of his election celebration, “What do we do now?”